ALS1,25: The Mission
by Dimitri's.Smexi.Shewolf
Summary: Rose and Dimitri are settling into their new life at Court, but the immortal dead are always on the prowl. When a large group of Strigoi is found near the heart of Moroi society, it is up to the Guardians to protect the Queen. Has Rose finally met her match, or can she work with Dimitri to destroy that which is undead? 2nd part of my AFTER LAST SACRIFICE series.
1. Chapter 1

The Mission

**I'M BAAACK!**

**I'm so sorry about the huge wait for this story. After the whole alleged plagiarism accusation debacle, I kinda didn't feel like updating for a bit. And when I did, I was stuck right in the middle of GCSEs. But they're nearly over now, with only one left XD**

**But don't worry- I promised new stories, and there are many of those to come. Your patience has been rewarded :D I've got 3 new ones started, and 2 completed, that you should be seeing soon. **

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**I'd like to thank all those who reviewed and message to support me. It's you guys I love writing for :)  
This story is dedicated to my loyal readers, in particular-**

**RozaBelikova-x**

**Musicalroza999**

**Katharina Liebe**

**rosemarieheathwaybelikov**

**PiesandStuff**

**purplemidnight**

**hatedinnocence03**

**Mori B**

**MIgirl923**

**Lemur24**

**cmarseilles**

**ediNbUrgh**

**j macphail**

**swedish desigirl**

**Emilie Brown**

**sweden girl**

**rebecca-parr**

**Rose-loves-Dimitri**

**Stars-In-The-Eyes**

**Jpitt**

**Guest**

**ariella219ash**

**Thanks so much to all of you amazing people. I love you all :) And anyone else I may have missed- sorry! Love you too :P Consider yourselves all recipients of a virtual doughnut and a hug from your favourite VA character. **

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**Sooo, I'm thinking around 3 chapters for this story? Then another story about the same length, then a huuuge long one after that. Okay? Well, on with the chapter...**

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING HERE. RICHELLE MEAD OWNS VAMPIRE ACADEMY. ANY SIMILARITIES TO OTHER AURHORS' WORK IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL, UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. (Does that cover everything? :P)**

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When Dimitri and I entered Guardian HQ, most people were already in their seats. Oh well, we were only 2 minutes late. And the reason for us being late had been _so _worth it.

Hans shot us a dirty look, and I smiled sweetly back, before dropping down in the nearest seat. Dimitri sat down beside me.

Hans had called an emergency Guardian meeting about 2 hours ago, but we'd only picked up the message 20 minutes ago, and we'd been, ah... busy at the time. So that was why we were a little late.

With one last glare in our direction, Hans began speaking.  
"I have called everyone here today to inform you of something that must not leave this room. It is of utmost importance that I can rely upon your discretion on this."  
He paused for a minute, before taking a steadying breath.  
"There has been a tip-off, alerting us that there are a large number of Strigoi less than 50 miles from Court, hiding out and readying for an offensive."

A collective gasp of shock ran through the assembly, and I grabbed Dimitri's hand. He squeezed back. This was some serious shit.  
"You understand why this must be kept under wraps. If the Moroi find out, there will be a mass panic, and the Strigoi will have easy pickings."

"What are we going to do?" Someone shouted.

Hans glared at them. "I spoke to the Queen just before this assembly, and she agreed on my plan. We will send a small group of elite Guardians on a pre-emptive strike to meet the threat before they have opportunity to attack, but will leave the majority of the Guardians at Court. This will ensure that Court is protected should the first group fail to stop the threat, and should not alert the Moroi that there is anything amiss."

There was a murmur of agreement. It was a wise move, keeping the Moroi in the dark about this. The last thing we needed was a load of good vampires running around like headless chickens, when their evil counterparts could come along and pick them off like sitting ducks.  
"I have chosen 20 Guardians to accompany me on this mission, and we will be leaving at midday tomorrow. I will give you a copy of the mission plan in a moment, and we will meet again in 3 hours. The rest of you will meet back here tomorrow to discuss plans to defend Court, should you not receive word that the threat has been neutralised. I have chosen someone to lead you in my place, and the leaders of 4 squadrons.  
These 25 Guardians will need to stay here, though the rest of you are dismissed until tomorrow. Thank you."

I shared a quick glance with Dimitri as Hans began calling out names alphabetically. "Abney, Archer, Alder, Barnes, Beck, Belikov, Castile, Cannon, Denma, Fields, Garnett, Hale, Hathaway Sr, Hathaway Jr, Jones, Kimberly..." The list went on as I followed Dimitri up to the front.  
Hathaway Jr? Great, I sounded like something out of a bad movie. Of course my mom would be picked for the elite team or as a Court leader.

I stood next to Eddie and Dimitri, and saw Mikhail make his way towards us.  
After the others whose names hadn't been called had left, Hans came up to our group that had gathered at the front of the room, holding a stack of white envelopes. He handed them out, and left us to open them.

For some reason, I was apprehensive about opening my packet. Maybe because it was a different thickness to Dimitri's, or I was just nervous about going into a massive battle and leaving Lissa alone.  
By now, everyone else was already reading their assignments.  
Eddie, Mikhail and Dimitri all had the same information; they were part of the elite team going on the hunt. Mom, on the other hand, was the leader of the Court resistance.

I opened up the envelope, and only read as far as the second line.  
**Rosemarie Hathaway- Leader of Squadron A.  
Remain at Court as counter-attack if 1****st**** offensive fails. **

"Rose?" Dimitri asked cautiously. I guess I had that 'I'm-gonna-kill-someone' look in my face.

"They're keeping me here!" I exploded. "They're sending you into battle and keeping me as a babysitter!"

Everyone looked nervous at my outburst.  
"Rose," Mom started in a business-like tone, "I'm sure it's because they know you're the best to guard Lissa, and you'll fight best if the original attack doesn't work."

I glared. "Yeah, sure I will! Of course I'll be ready to kick Strigoi ass if the others don't come back, because that means Dimitri and the rest of you will be dead, and I'll go into a murderous rage with no thought for self preservation!"

Dimitri was about to speak when I cut him off.  
"This is ridiculous. I'm going to talk to Hans."

I stormed over to where he was deep in conversation with another Guardian and shoved the guy out of the way, ignoring his protests. I heard the others follow me.

"What the hell is this?" I asked, waving the paper in front of Hans' face.

"Your assignment, Guardian Hathaway." He replied coolly.

"No, this is someone else's assignment." It was like déjà vu, back when I was assigned to Christian at St. Vladimir's.

Hans turned away, showing his disinterest in my argument. "It is your duty, Hathaway. You should be honoured that you have been chosen to lead."

I took a deep, calming breath, and tried to change my approach.  
"Guardian Croft, please reconsider. You know I would be useful attacking the Strigoi head-on."

Hans turned around at my more mature statement.  
"That is true, Guardian Hathaway. But you are also needed here, and you are the Queen's Head Guardian. She needs you."

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes.  
"That's not the reason you're keeping me behind, sir, and you know it. The Queen will be under lockdown, surrounded by Guardians, whilst I am leading a group presumably away from the Palace. The safety of the Queen will be out of my hands, and she would probably stand a better chance if I were allowed to destroy the Strigoi before they even made it to Court."

Hans sighed. "Rose, we both know that is true. But just like your reason for wanting to go with the first group is not about glory-seeking, my reason for keeping you back is not about trying to oppress you or waste your skills deliberately."

I waited for him to elaborate, but when he didn't, I figured I knew the answer anyway.  
"So you're saying your reason for keeping me back is the reason I want to go."

Hans nodded, and relented. "I'm worried that if you and Guardian Belikov are in battle together, then it might become a distraction, and a liability. You'll try to protect each other over taking out the threats and being prepared to sacrifice yourselves."

I could see his reasoning, but I didn't agree with it.

"Guardian Croft, Dimitri and I always knew this would be an issue. We have to make sacrifices to be together, and I know why you think keeping me behind would be beneficial. But if you look at it objectively, then I am one of the best fighters in this place. I've taken down more Strigoi single-handedly than most of these Guardians have in their lives. Please reconsider."

Hans didn't look convinced.  
"Look at it this way. Fighting alone, we're good. Fighting together, we're unbeatable. Why break up a winning team?"

I flashed my man-eater smile, and Hans caved.  
"Alright, you're in." I had to hold back a happy dance. "But don't make me regret this decision, Hathaway."

I grinned. "Not a chance, Hans. You'll thank us when you're saving your ass."

Hans shook his head in defeat. "Read through Belikov's information, it's generic for everyone on the mission."

I nodded and stepped back, taking my place at Dimitri's side as he nodded thanks to Hans.

As we turned to go, Hans shouted after us; "And don't be late!"

We all went our separate ways, and Dimitri and I headed to the gym for one final hour of practice before the battle. After a quick warm up, we began working on some new moves we had been developing. I hadn't been lying to Hans- we were great fighting as a team. Like now, we were practicing fighting back-to back, so we could take on several Strigoi at once without letting our guard down or leaving anything unprotected.

We had just one move left that we had to perfect. It was hard, but could potentially make a big difference in battle.

I gave Dimitri the signal, and we were almost perfect on the move. However, I tripped as I landed and ended up on the floor. However, I bounced straight up again in a defensive position, before relaxing and turning to Dimitri.

"Sorry, Comrade. I screwed that one up. You were perfect, though."

He smiled gently. "One last try?"

This time, we made no mistakes. We were badass.

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**So, there it is. Chapter one of the short story that's part of my ALS series. Next chapter should be up soon :) **

**Review and get a training session with Dimitri ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**ASPDFKJEWK Has anyone else seen the new picture on Zoey Deutch's twitter/instagram? Her and Danila. I SEE DUSTER SLEEVE! Go see what you think , even if you don't have an account, you can see it (otherwise I'd be screwed :P) And after last night's cryptic tweet about the 'scene they shot today'... -.- This is too much for so early in the morning. I should still be asleep...**

**But anyway, thanks for the reviews :D I didn't realise this was that good! Just for you guys, I've added another chapter onto this story :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own VA. The only things that are mine are the ideas, which are MINE :) **

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As we lay in bed that night, I tried to commit everything about this perfect moment to memory. My head rested on Dimitri's chest and I listened to his steady heartbeat as his fingers fan through my hair. Under the oncoming shadow of the cloud that was out upcoming fight, it was as though we wanted to experience life and love even more in this moment. When things were fragile, we revered them and treasured them even more.

We'd been to the second meeting Hans had arranged and were ready to leave at 12 tomorrow, when it was darkest. That way we would have time to get to the Strigoi by sunrise so we would have the longest window of opportunity possible before they could follow us out of the warehouse they were hiding out in. It still may not be enough.

Although we should be sleeping and resting up for tomorrow, neither of us wanted to waste this time, here and now. Because despite our training and our skills, all our preparation, in reality, one of us might not come home tomorrow.

We had been silent for a long time when Dimitri finally spoke.  
"I know it's wrong, but I half wish you had stayed behind tomorrow."

I lifted my head to look him in the eye, fully prepared to bitch him out for thinking I wasn't capable of taking down a few Strigoi. He knew I was better than that.  
But what I saw in his dark brown eyes stopped that thought in its tracks, and then continued to derail the train. Concern, fear and love were plain on his face, and I immediately felt bad.

I sighed, lifting a hand and pressing it to his cheek. His hand came up to cover mine, calloused fingers forming a protective barrier against us and the world.  
"Dimitri, don't worry. I'll be fine, and so will you. We'll both come back. I promise."

He frowned. "You can't promise that."  
A memory of a promise like that knifed through my chest, cold and deadly, as I remembered the last time I'd said that, in a situation not unlike this. But that was the past, and we were stronger now.

"I can. I promised before that I wouldn't let anything happen to you, but I couldn't keep you safe. But this time, there is nothing in this world that will hold me back. We'll get through- together."

He studied me carefully, searching for something in my eyes.  
"No. If it gets that bad, you get out. Run."

I shook my head, smiling wryly. "Will you promise me the same?"

As I expected, Dimitri looked horrified at my suggestion.

"Exactly. Not going to happen, Comrade. We're in this together."

He wrapped his arm around me tighter and pulled me closer.  
"You're impossible." He told me affectionately.

"You wouldn't have me any other way."

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Before we left on the mission, the Queen came to see us off. She did her rounds, officially wishing good luck and farewell to those who were, essentially, risking their lives to save her people. Lissa carried out her difficult duty with grace and her head held high, just enough concern and compassion on her face to maintain her professional distance. I could tell she hated it, though.

When she got to Eddie and Mikhail, her professional air slipped a bit, words coloured with a hint of the worry she felt for their safety.

When she reached Dimitri and I, her facade dropped completely. She was cool Queen no longer, just a teenage girl who was scared she might lose her closest friends.

Lissa threw herself into my arms, and I hugged her back tightly. Even without the bond, I knew her well enough to tell that she was trying to hold back tears.

"Steady, Liss. Might knock your crown off if you're not careful."

She pulled away, giving me a withering look, which soon faded into a gentler one.  
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Rose. Stay safe."

"Come on, Liss. I can take down a few Strigoi with my eyes closed. This'll be a breeze."  
That seemed to calm her down. She had always believed I'd sort everything, and had this blind, total faith in me that I still didn't quite understand. Even after putting her in danger so many times, she still trusted me to protect her. Then again, maybe it was because of this that she believed I'd keep her safe- I'd done it so many times in the past.

Today, she didn't see through my cocky outer shell, and I was thankful for that. She didn't need to be stressing out over us when she had to be prepared for a Court invasion. It was all about keeping up appearances, and pretending like nothing was wrong.

Lissa hugged Dimitri quickly, earning surprised looks from a couple of the newer Guardians. They accepted that she and I had history and were friends as well as Guardian and charge, but they seemed to think that her Guardian friend's boyfriend was a little far removed. They didn't understand the bonds that held us together as a family.

Lissa sniffed quietly as she stepped back.  
"Be safe, guys. We need you back in one piece."

"Even if we weren't, you could just stick us back together anyway." I quipped, earning an eye roll from her.

"Just come back." She reminded us one final time.

I nodded, a silent promise to do just that. With one final glance, she turned and walked back to the palace, escorted by the members of her Royal Guard who were remaining with her.

I made myself look away from the retreating figure of my best friend, pushing my worry for her aside. She'd be safe here, protected by many Guardians. I had more urgent- if not important- things to worry about.

"Alright?" Dimitri asked quietly, not loud enough for anyone else to hear.

"Fine." I replied, and forced my newly-perfected Guardian mask into place. I looked to the horizon, where our enemies were waiting. "Let's do this."

And then we were on our way.

**Review and get cute promises from Dimitri :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for no updates, last few days been kinda crazy. But I'm back now, with more badass Dimka for you ^.^ Next chapter, shiz is gonna go dooown! **

**Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, you're awesome :D**

The van rattled across the rough terrain at high speed. We had been off-roading for a few minutes now, and the constant bumping and jostling was getting on my nerves. Suddenly, riding in a van cross-county wasn't as fun as I always imagined it would be. I had the feeling Dimitri knew what I was thinking, and that was the reason for the small smirk on his lips at this moment. I couldn't think of another reason for him to be smiling right now, anyway.

The 20 Guardians who had been chosen for this raid were split between 2 vans. The driver and one other sat up front, the other 8 in the back, on 2 long benches facing each other.

I was sat right at the back of the van, closest to the door, with Dimitri beside me and Eddie and Mikhail opposite us.  
There was a nervous, heavy silence that had slowly settled over the Guardians the closer we got to our destination. We knew that many of us wouldn't be making the return journey with our hearts still beating, and that there was a good chance we would be defeated. Maybe none of us would make it out alive. It had to be a high chance; otherwise, they wouldn't have left so many Guardians back at Court with a full emergency backup plan.

If we failed, the Strigoi would be there at sunset.

I shivered at the horrible thought, and Dimitri wrapped an arm around me. We had been trying to stay within protocol and act professional, but as we got closer to our possible deaths, I decided I really didn't give two shits what the others thought.

As I leaned into Dimitri, I glanced around the small van. I was pleased to see that no one was glaring or rolling their eyes at us, but instead each face held a mix of envy, encouragement and sympathy.

Envy, because they wanted what we had.

Encouragement, because they knew that what we had was real, and they were happy that 2 Guardians had been able to find that happiness in each other. It was rare, and they didn't want to see it end.

Sympathy, because they knew that one of us may be returning to Court alone in the morning.

It occurred to me that the others wanted their loved ones beside them right now, for comfort in what might be their final hour upon this earth. But I knew better. I wished Dimitri, and Eddie and Mikhail, were safely back at Court, locked in a heavily Guarded room with Lissa and Christian. Mia I knew would be on the offensive as soon as the Strigoi broke into Court, if they did, so I worried about her.

I was so glad Adrian and Sydney had left Court for a week to go visit her mother- at least they would be safe from this.

I caught Mikhail's eye across the van, and knew that he was thinking the same thoughts as me. Sonya was safe teaching at St. Vlads on the other side of the country; he just hoped he would survive to see her again.

Eddie had a stoic look on his face, almost a carbon copy of Dimitri's own Guardian mask. Eddie idolised him, always trying to be a Guardian as amazing as he was. What he didn't know was that he pretty much was already. He just needed something, someone, to fight for now. That was what made someone truly deadly.

I reached up to run a hand through my hair like I always did when nervous, before remembering that I'd put it up. I'd braided it tightly, before wrapping it up in a bun and pinning it in place. No was any Strigoi taking me down by my hair- they might rip a chunk out. Not that it would be a major problem if they snapped my neck, but if I walked away from this battle, I wanted to do it with my hair intact.

The van turned sharply, before the engine cut out and we rolled to a halt. We would have to walk the last stretch of the journey to avoid the Strigoi hearing the engine, and losing the element of surprise.

The back doors of the van opened, and Hans was standing there in his fighting clothes. These were different from formal Guardian attire- all black, stretchier, stronger.  
I was wearing tight black trousers that reminded me of riding jodhpurs, and this weird long-sleeved black shirt that supposedly helped deflect slashes from a Strigoi- sort of like Kevlar for humans. I didn't particularly want to try out the effectiveness of this new 'super material' though. Since this was the first planned raid I'd been on as a full Guardian, it was the first time I'd been given this to wear. Despite the circumstances, I thought it was pretty cool.

I jumped out of the van after Eddie and Mikhail, Dimitri following close behind me. We met the other 10 Guardians as they left their own vehicle, and walked silently through the trees until the looming shape of a huge warehouse appeared in front of us.

The rising sun had coloured the sky in a ruby hue, reminding me of the blood that had yet to be spilt. The red sky was a bad omen if I ever saw one, but I suppressed the superstitious thoughts. I was beginning to sound like Yeva. Now there was a scary thought.

Hans turned around, a grim expression on his face.  
"If it's still light when we come out, we meet here and all go back to the vans. If we need to make a quick exit, carve your initials on this tree with your stake and head to the vehicles. Send a signal on your tracker, but don't expect a reply. Wait for as long as you can before leaving. 3 flashes and beeps is the signal to retreat. If I give the signal, get out as fast as you can. Don't try any vigilante hero stuff. Understood?"

We all nodded. "Alright. If you've got something to say..." Hans trailed off, not needing to complete the grim sentence. We all knew that this may be goodbye.

First I pulled Eddie into a hug. "We're going to kick Strigoi ass." I told him.

He smiled despite the situation. "Knowing you, you'll probably kick them somewhere other than their ass."

I shrugged, grinning. "Whatever brings them down quickest. Just because I don't hit like a girl, doesn't mean I can't fight dirty like one."

Then I hugged Mikhail quickly, before turning to the person I dreaded saying goodbye to the most.

No, I told myself I wasn't saying goodbye to Dimitri. We had both got stronger these past few months, and our experiences with Strigoi had improved how we fought against them. We'd both come out alive, and we would this time.

After deciding I really didn't give a shit what these Guardians thought of it, I latched my arms around Dimitri's neck and pulled his lips to mine.

The kiss started slow and gentle, our love flowing between us as though it was actually tangible. But there was also a cold fear hiding beneath the tenderness, so I increased the intensity of the kiss to mask it. The fire helped burn away the biting anxiety, just for a moment, but we had to pull away before Hans got pissed and ripped us apart himself. And I had to save my punches for the Strigoi, not get caught up in friendly fire.

Since a few other people still hadn't made a move, and some were still handing each other notes to pass on to loved ones should they be unable to do it themselves, I made no move from Dimitri's side yet.

I pulled him close, hiding my face in his chest and breathing deeply, willingly allowing the intoxicating scent of his aftershave to wash away the apprehension rapidly building inside me.

One arm wrapped tightly around my waist, the other pressed between my shoulder blades, I could feel Dimitri's reluctance to let me go.

"I love you, Roza." He told me quietly.

"I love you too, Dimitri." I whispered back.

And with his kiss still burning on my lips, I felt like I could do anything.

Even face down a pack of Strigoi.

**Ooh Rose, be careful what you say. Remember last time you thought those lines..? We'll have to see what happens.**

**Review and get a burning kiss from Dimitri ;) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for all the positive feedback, people :D Here's the fight scene that you've been waiting for!**

***Disclaimer: I don't own VA, I'm just putting the characters in a life-threatening situation or the fun of it :P***

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Silent as a wildcat stalking its prey, I crept up to the door of the old warehouse. We'd checked for security cameras but hadn't found any, meaning we may still have the element of surprise.

As I waited for Hans to give the order to attack, I ran my hand over my weapons. Main stake in my hand, gun holstered at my waist, backup stake strapped to left leg, long knife in right boot. Though the gun wouldn't work on the Strigoi and the knife would be inconvenient at best, they were good backups and would do the trick on any hostile human threats.  
It always seemed wrong to take a human life, and fortunately I hadn't been forced to yet, but they would only cause more death and end up as a snack or Strigoi anyway. If they surrendered, they'd go to the Alchemists to be dealt with.

There was a shuffling noise high above us, coming from behind one of the many cracked windows. Hans turned to us, and nodded once.  
That was the signal.

The door blew open, and we surged inside the warehouse. Immediately, we assessed our surroundings.

As it had been described to us, the warehouse was mainly on one floor, with a metal-grated balcony running around the edges. Temporary partitions were made with empty boxes, providing a little privacy for the Strigoi here. Clearly they hadn't been in the warehouse long- our source had given us an estimate of about 3 days, and that seemed about right judging by the mess that had been made.

Clearly these were no 'civilised' Strigoi like I had seen at Spokane and on Galina's estate- these were a band of shambled individuals forced to work together for mutual benefit. They had no goal beyond destroying Court. They'd probably destroy each other in the process.

All this I took in during the space of a few seconds. The human servants stared at us wide-eyed with fear, whilst the few Strigoi standing guard by the boarded up windows began to move towards us.  
One let out a shout, and the undead seemed to rise from the very floor.

Hans gave the order for a counter attack as more Strigoi piled into the room through a well-hidden door.

And so it began.

I charged forward, aiming for the first Strigoi in my way. I ducked, got in a couple of low punches and a swift kick before plunging my stake into his chest.

Sparing a glance at my fellow Guardians, I realised something. This Strigoi was young, maybe even hours old. We hadn't caught the Strigoi as unprepared as we'd hoped- they were running with their original battle plan now. The young Strigoi were just cannon fodder, designed to strip out who they could, and provide the other Strigoi with a chance to prepare themselves and identify our weaknesses.

Unfortunately for them, I didn't have many. And I'd spent my whole life trying not to let them show.

Determined to screw up their plan, I pushed forward, leaving young Strigoi alive in my wake for others to finish off. I was headed for the line of vampires at the back of the room, crouched ready to fight but not yet participating.

I sensed someone beside me, and glanced around to see Dimitri at my side. He'd realised their plan too, and Eddie soon caught on with what was happening, bringing up the rear.

With a snarl, the first Strigoi leader broke rank and came to fight us.

He lunged for Dimitri, judging him as the biggest threat. Another went for Eddie, whilst I ran forward to take on one of my own.

After a minute of fighting my opponent, I realised that these Strigoi were nothing like those at the front of the warehouse. Though not as ancient as Isaiah, these were no new Strigoi. Judging by the skill they fought with and the poise with which this one held himself, I'd bet he was a Dhampir before he was turned.

As I ducked, weaved, threw punches and lashed out with my stake, I was barely aware of the battle raging around me. As much as I wanted to turn and make sure that Dimitri was okay, I knew that taking my eyes off my foe for an instant would result in my defeat.

I finally got my opening when a retreating young Strigoi crashed into the one I was fighting. In the split second he left his chest open and vulnerable, I slid my stake up between his ribs. I watched the light fade from his eyes.

As the young Strigoi watched his elder fall, I leapt for him. The shock that a girl like me could take down such a skilled member of his group, and a slash across the arm with my stake, distracted him enough for me to finish the job.

I had fought my way into a corner, and needed to get back to open space as soon as possible. Spinning around and searching for the next threat, my gaze locked on Dimitri battling 2 experienced Strigoi. He had a small cut on his cheek and a ripped sleeve, and I took off to his aid.

On my way I passed Hans battling a huge dark-haired brute, and clocked the Strigoi on the back of the head with the handle of my stake. The headache induced by the charmed silver gave Hans the opportunity to stake him. He shot me a grateful glance before darting off to fight beside Mikhail.

I reached Dimitri just as a Strigoi was about to land a punch to his shoulder. Crashing into the moving fist and pulling the arm with me, I spun so the Strigoi's arm was twisted away from his body. Recovering quickly, Dimitri kicked him in the stomach, sending him backwards into the wall.

With barely a glance between us, it was understood that Dimitri would go and finish that one off, and I stayed to fight the remaining Strigoi.

She was one of the few females here, again another former Guardian. Unlike any of the others I had fought today, this one thought it would be fun to play with her food.

"Your boyfriend's lucky that he had you to save him."

I ignored her taunt, instead focussing on trying to embed my extremely pointy thing in her heart. She didn't let go, though.

"He's a pretty one. But then again, so are you. I won't worry, though. Once I've awakened him, you'll be nothing more than an appetising snack. Then, with your blood still coursing through our veins, we'll-"

Whilst she was caught up in her own sick fantasies, I saw an opening to her chest, plunging my stake in.

"Sorry bitch, he likes his women with a pulse. And a brain."

I jammed the stake in further, twisting the metal into her cold heart. She let out a piercing shriek as her body jerked, before hitting the ground with a thud.

Seeing no immediate danger, I scanned the room to see how the others were doing. Eddie and Mikhail were now fighting side-by-side, and Hans was locked in a battle of his own. There were bodies strewn around the warehouse, not all of them Strigoi. My stomach twisted as I recognised some of my fellow Guardians

As a Strigoi fell to the ground, I saw Hanna Garnett, a friend of mine, spin round to find her next opponent. However, fast as lightning, another Strigoi appeared behind her. He landed a lucky blow to the side of her head, causing her to crumple to the ground.

A flashback of Spokane filled my vision, and I charged forward. No way was I letting another friend fall before my eyes, only to leave them to die. In 3 fast moves my stake was in the Strigoi's chest, and I had Hanna in my arms. I half-lifted, half dragged her to the iron stairs a few feet away, pushing her up them.

Guardian Barnes noticed us, and stumbled towards the stairs, narrowly missing a swinging fist. Barnes was limping heavily, blood seeping from a large wound on his outer thigh.  
I shoved Hanna into his arms, pointing up the stairs.

"Keep them away from her. I'll send someone else in a minute- just stay put."

Nodding, he tried to smile through the pain, but it came out as more of a grimace. I could tell he didn't want to be babysitting on the sidelines, but I knew that if he tried to move on his leg, he'd be dead before he could touch another Strigoi. Hanna needed him, and Barnes would be able to keep the narrow staircase clear with minimal movement. It was the most logical thing to do.

As I left the makeshift 'safe house', I saw another Guardian supporting someone. With a jolt, I realised that Hans was the Guardian with the twisted leg, and that Mikhail was supporting him. Mikhail was in pretty bad shape himself, but I was sure that he would be back fighting just as soon as he cleared the blood from his eyes that was pouring from a slash above his left eyebrow.

Shit. We really needed to end this fight soon.

I assessed the situation again. There were about 12 Strigoi left, Eddie was fighting one, and there were a couple of other Guardians still locked in battle. Unfortunately, we were outnumbered. There were more surviving Guardians than Strigoi, but some of the Dhampirs would be dead before they could even make a scratch if they moved from the safe spot.

In the middle of the warehouse, I saw something that made me more nauseous than if I'd still been Shadowkissed and surrounded by 100 Strigoi.

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**Ahahaha, CLIFFIE! Wow, I'm feeling mean today. Oh well, I'll put the next chapter up tomorrow, promise(unless something really crazy I can't control happens). **

**Review and help save Dimitri in a fight :) **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: VA=Not mine**

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_In the middle of the warehouse, I saw something that made me more nauseous than if I'd still been Shadowkissed and surrounded by 100 Strigoi._

A black-haired vampire was drinking messily from a Guardian, holding them up in a kind of sick embrace. It was like an instant power boost for them, the same effect as chugging 5 energy drinks before sport. But it wasn't just a drink. Earlier, that had been a living, breathing person with family who were waiting for them to come back. He never would now, and I knew only too well how it felt to be left behind.

This thought fuelled me, ironically, and I redoubled my speed towards the blonde bastard. He even reminded me of Nathan because of his looks, which was unfortunate for him.

I leapt at the Strigoi with a fierce battle cry, knocking him backwards onto the ground. The dead Guardian rolled from the monster's grip, but I forced myself not to look at the face of my murdered colleague, there was nothing I could do for him now. Instead I focused on getting revenge for him.

The Strigoi's lips curved into a sinister smile as he caught my arms, preventing me from driving my stake into his evil heart.

"Hello beautiful Rose. What they say about you is true- you are a skilled fighter, and as deadly as they come. You have cost me many lives tonight."

The Strigoi calling me beautiful made me feel dirty, and I wanted nothing more to scream and kick until I was free. From his words, I knew that this Strigoi was the leader of the warehouse group. He was the reason we were here, the reason that some of us would not be coming back.

"I wonder if the stories about your Queen are as accurate as the ones concerning you. I shall have to find out when I see her tomorrow."

A feral snarl ripped through my throat as he mentioned Lissa. "It doesn't matter if the stories are true or not- they're all you will ever know about Vasilisa. You'll be dust by sunset, you sick bastard."

The evil son-of-a-bitch just laughed. "Ah, Rose. You have so much to learn. It is a shame you will never have the chance."

I struck out with my elbow again, this time stunning him for long enough to roll out from underneath him and get to my feet. I stepped away hurriedly, my back colliding against something hard.

I was about to spin round and plant my stake in their chest when I caught a hint of a familiar scent and recognised the touch. I relaxed against Dimitri's back for half a second, glad that he was safe. I'd lost sight of him a while ago, and had been distracted before I could check. That hadn't stopped me worrying, though.

"Switch." Dimitri snapped suddenly, and we spun to face each other's opponents.

It appeared Dimitri had been fighting 2 Strigoi, and I set to work trying to stake them. I heard an unhinged laugh from behind me, and from my peripheral vision I could see that the blonde had stepped back to let Dimitri fight other Strigoi.

A moment later, I realised why he was laughing.

We were surrounded, the remaining Strigoi closing in around us on every side. The few remaining Guardians were battling those on the outside ring of the circle, but they couldn't get through to help us.

I pressed closer to Dimitri as he realised the same thing as me. I didn't see how we would possibly get out of this.

The Strigoi paused long enough in their advance for Dimitri to take my hand and whisper to me.  
"Keep fighting. Pretend you're fighting one enemy, and don't focus too much on a single one of them. We can do this."

I squeezed his hand briefly to show I understood, before the Strigoi attacked as one.

But Dimitri and I were also fighting as one.

We had each other's backs covered, and each Strigoi that came forward me its end on the point of one of our stakes. Following Dimitri's advice, I dealt with each individual threat as it came, one punch and one kick at a time, only risking a staking when there was a lull in the oncoming attack.

There was soon a ring of Strigoi bodies surrounding us, and the few remaining Guardians had managed to draw their Strigoi away from our fight. That was good- it meant less collateral damage.

Dimitri and I fought like one body, in perfect synch we turned and fought the threats on every side.  
Before long, there were only 6 Strigoi left in the ring. As Dimitri took out one of his, the leader stepped in and took his place. He'd stayed out of the fight until now. Like I'd suspected, he was old and lazy, aiming to come in and do his part when we were too tired, or dead, to put up a fight.

Eddie finished his final Strigoi as I staked one of mine. I now had two left, and Dimitri had 3. I was exhausted, and I knew there was no way I'd be able to move to help Dimitri before the Strigoi I was currently holding off snapped his neck from behind.

Then Eddie came towards us, and I had an idea.

"Flip!" I yelled to Dimitri, hoping he had enough strength left to make this work, and that he would even hear me.

Fortunately he did, and after a moment Dimitri stepped back quickly as I stepped forward, putting space between him and his opponents, but bringing me closer to mine.

In the same second, I linked my arms with his and pulled up so I was resting on his back, kicking my Strigoi hard, one foot planted on each of their chests. One fell right onto Eddie's stake, screaming defiance. The other one quickly met the same fate.

As Dimitri straightened up, I forced my body up and over Dimitri's shoulders, pushing off with all my strength.

As I descended again, I planted my feet, hoping against hope that I didn't cock this up.  
I stumbled for a fraction of a heartbeat before pulling out my spare stake, just as the 2 Strigoi on either side of their leader spun around to see when I had landed behind them.

With what was probably a psycho grin on my face I lunged forward, simultaneously shoving my stakes into both of their hearts.

The leader had barely looked up as I sailed over his head; he was so focussed on fighting Dimitri. Now, he kept facing forward, no doubt believing that I wanted him to turn around so I could stake him. He thought that since I couldn't stake him from behind, and probably didn't have a sword to behead him with, he was safe. He underestimated me.

That was his final mistake.

Pulling my knife from my boot, I slammed it into the back of his neck, right where his skull met his spine. Where my promise mark was.

The move wouldn't kill him, but where it would have severed a living spinal cord completely, the lead Strigoi was paralysed for a second as the charmed silver sent shockwaves through the broken nerves.

This gave Dimitri plenty of opportunity to stake him, a look of grim determination set into the hard lines of his face.

As the Strigoi crumpled to the ground, we both watched and waited for the _thud_ that held the finality of death for our opponent, and the chance at life for us.

We stood over the body of our enemy, breathing laboured, raging heartbeat pounding in our chests, sending blood rushing in our heads.

We had done it. We had both come out of this alive.

I felt my knees quiver and I practically fell into Dimitri's arms as I was unsure if I could stand up any longer. He held me close against his body, and I could hear his heart beating erratically in his chest.

We both sunk to the ground, kneeling in the blood that had been shed by enemies and allies alike.

I rested my head on his shoulder, and the whole warehouse was silent for an immeasurable amount of time. The only way I even knew it was passing was the way my heartbeat slowly crept back to normal, the blood rushing through my head quietened, and the adrenaline keeping my from feeling any pain began to fade.

Just as a cut on my thigh began to throb, I heard movement to my left.

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**Haha, I had you pretty scared on that last cliffhanger :P I could never kill Dimitri, or any of the gang. That would be like :'O I'm too much of a sucker for happy endings :')**

**Review and get to do awesome ninja moves with Dimitri ;) **


	6. Chapter 6

**ASPFJSD GISHG ISDHFI HAIG AHIAI **

**WHO HAS SEEN THAT PICTURE OF ZOEY AND DANILA?! ON THE OVAM FACEBOOK PAGE?! The caption- 'Remember to breathe...' I FORGOT TO BREATHE FOR A FULL 30 SECONDS.  
I think my brain turned to mush. Heart stopped beating. Everything else frozen. Want to laugh and cry at the same time.  
IT'S ROSE AND DIMITRI XD**

**Just looking at it again... fangirling so hard in the middle of the night, I just had to put this chapter up in celebration. HAPPY 4****TH**** JULY, PEOPLE :D**

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_Just as a cut on my thigh began to throb, I heard movement to my left._

My head snapped up to see Hans making his way slowly towards us, a couple other Guardians up on their feet following him. Others were being lifted by their friends, or supporting themselves on each other's shoulders. Battered, but alive.

I stood up shakily, Dimitri doing the same beside me. As I my knee went past a 45° angle, it suddenly gave out. Dimitri caught me before I could hit the floor, and I leaned heavily against him. His arm went around my waist, securing me to his side.  
I vaguely remembered a Strigoi lashing out and kicking me towards the end of the fight, remembered the feeling of my kneecap shooting upwards as a brief pain flared beneath it. Thinking back to then, and how much it hurt now, it may actually be broken. Shit.

As he walked towards us, Hans stopped to bend down and pick up a stake that was lying next to a fallen Strigoi. After a moment, I realised it was mine.

Hans stopped in front of us, and it seemed like everyone was holding their breath. Then, Hans held out the stake to me, hilt first. It was a sign of respect. I reached out and held it, but before he let go, Hans did something that shocked me even more.

Hans bowed his head in respect.

Hans took my stunned silence as an opportunity to speak.  
"I misjudged you, Guardian Hathaway. I admit that I thought you would let your emotions get in the way of your duty, but you proved me wrong. Your emotions and passion have always led you to do what you believe is right, and now these have aligned with your skills, you are truly an amazing Guardian. There are few Guardians willing to put their trust so completely in another individual, and so ours is often a lonely life. But you have shown that it is possible to break free of these rules, and become better than the rest of us for it."

I finally found my tongue. "Thank you, Guardian Croft." Wow, I must have been in shock. Giving thanks and using his title? "But it wasn't me alone."

A smile flickered across Hans' lips, and he released his hold on my stake to turn to Dimitri.

"Guardian Belikov, you have always been a formidable Guardian. Now you have given us another. You have only become stronger since you let someone else beneath that shell of yours, and I'm glad you did, or we'd never have got you back. Thank you."

They shook hands, before Hans stepped back to get a better look at the two of us, leaning against each other. The smile was full this time as he shook his head in amusement.  
"From now on, the two of you will be sent on assignments together. You've more than proved that you're stronger together than apart."

Despite the death and sadness around me, I felt a smile creep onto my lips.  
"Team Belikov-Hathaway. Don't you forget it, Hans."

The mood turned sober again as it was time to tend to the injured and see to the fallen.  
We had lost 4 Guardians of the original 20, another 5 were critically injured. 6 had sustained significant injury that may still be fatal if not seen to. I had dislocated my kneecap, and Eddie had a broken wrist. Mikhail had a sprained ankle.  
Unsurprisingly, Hans and Dimitri had come off the best. Bruised and bloody, but had otherwise escaped serious injury. Apparently Hans' earlier limping was due to a dislocated hip, and now that it was back in place, he was fine to walk. I bit back a comment about him just getting old.

Dimitri said they'd only done so well because I had taken the blows for both of them when I jumped in to save their lives. I personally thought it had something to do with the fact that Hans was Head Guardian, so should be the best, and Dimitri had experience on the other side of this fight. As well as just being generally badass. But I'd accept the praise.

Those of us who could still walk (limp in my case) and fight if need be were divided amongst the rest of the Guardians dragging themselves or the fallen out of the warehouse. Hans and Mikhail were up front, Eddie was overseeing from the middle, and Dimitri and I were bringing up the rear.

Although it was unlikely any had survived, we were still on the lookout for Strigoi that may be lingering in the shadows. I held my stake in my hand, clenching my fingers around the hilt to distract myself from the pain that shot through my leg with every step. I refused to let Dimitri help me beyond me leaning on him, since I didn't want to look like I was overreacting in front of those who were seriously injured. Dimitri called it being stubborn. I called it conscientious.

As we left the warehouse, I looked back over my shoulder one last time. As we stepped into the sunlight, I felt a little piece of fear drop away from my soul. Dimitri and I had fought side by side this time, as equals, as partners- in every sense of the word. We'd become stronger, and come out alive.

I looked down at the stake in my hand. For a while now, even during the fight, it had felt too heavy, unnatural, not _mine_. I had never got my stake back after it had been used to murder Tatiana, though in some ways, I wanted it back. It was the stake I had escaped Russia with, that I had used to 'kill' Dimitri with. I'd been through a lot with that stake, and it had never let me down.

Only now, I realised that it _had_ let me down. I'd got it from the vault on Galina's estate, and it presumably came from a 'snack' that had been unfortunate to meet their end there. It had failed to kill Dimitri when I had wanted to, though of course I was glad it hadn't. It had killed Tatiana, and been the evidence that had almost got me executed myself.

That wasn't just the stake that had _got me through_ the bad times. It had caused them- been the symbol _of _those bad times.

I didn't want it back anymore.

I looked down at the stake in my hand now, without the geometric pattern around the hilt, and decided I liked this one a whole lot better. This stake had killed the Strigoi that had been tormenting Dimitri when we were on the run together. It had protected me in the warehouse and saved Dimitri's life again. It had been handed to me as a sign of honour by Hans, who until now had always been doubtful of me. This stake was special to me in a whole different way than the last one had been.  
Like the Guardian who had lost their stake at Galina's estate, I would get this stake engraved. But not with squares and lines.

No, however corny it was, I was getting this stake engraved with freaking roses.

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**One more chapter people :O**

**And once again, have to say, ZOEY AND DANILA! **


	7. Chapter 7

**This is the last chapter of this story :'( But the next 2 parts of this series are also ready to go up :) **

**I'm flying to Italy later today, and there is no internet in the villa where I'm staying, so I probably won't be able to update for 2 weeks. 2 weeks without Fanfiction! :O At least being on holiday means I have loaaads of time to write stuff that you can see when I get back :) **

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_No, however corny it was, I was getting this stake engraved with freaking roses. _

The drive back to Court was slow and silent, save for the groans and muffled whimpers of the injured as we bumped over the uneven ground. I'd finally relented and was resting my injured leg over Dimitri's lap, and he held it tight to minimize the excruciating jarring as the van bounced over rocks. I had a hard time keeping conscious and trying not to black out from the pain. Seeing how he had come off one of the best in this battle with no really serious injuries, the agony in his eyes must have been for me and the pain I was enduring. I knew Dimitri hated seeing me in pain, the same way I felt any injury inflicted on him as an assault to my own personal being. That was just how we were.

Everyone was anxious to get back to Court for some reason; be it proper medical care, taking a hot shower, or to assure their loved ones that they were alright. People would know we had left Court by now, and each of us had explaining to do to someone who had been left behind.

Eventually, I felt the sharp turn onto the road to Court. Finally the bumping and jarring against injuries stopped as we were finally on smooth tarmac again. I let out a deep sigh of relief. I could practically count the seconds from here, and sure enough, we reached the gate 4 minutes later.

Hans' voice filtered through the partition to the back of the van, and we telling the gatekeeper to radio ahead and get medics at the ready. As soon as he'd given the instruction, we were off again.

Finally, _finally_, the van rolled gently to a halt, and the doors swung open. A couple of doctors in scrubs jumped in and proceeded to take a couple of people out on stretchers, walking fast towards the Court hospital. I hoped they'd be able to save them.

Dimitri stepped out of the van before me, and helped me down as I tried to keep the weight off of my injured leg. It had seized up over the journey back, but I forced myself to grin and bear it since there was a huge crowd gathered nearby. I didn't want to look weak in front of all these people.

A few metres away, I saw Lissa frantically scanning the Guardians and medics flooding around the vans, saw her flinch as another body was brought out, covered in a white cloth. She was so busy watching the doors of the other van that she had completely missed Dimitri and I coming towards her.

I hopped forward a little faster, waiting until I was just a few feet away before leaning in close and saying; "Miss me?"

Lissa jumped and spun around, relief flooding her features as she saw Dimitri and I alive and walking. She tried to pull me into a huge bear hug, but I pushed her away.

She let go instantly. "Oh, did I hurt you? Are you alright? I'm sorry." She babbled.

"I'm fine," I lied, feeling like every one of my ribs had just been crushed and the rest of me had been turned to pulp. "I just don't want the mud and blood ruining your pretty dress."

Lissa rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms loosely around my neck, humouring me. She then did the same to Dimitri.

"I was so worried about you. Where are the others? Are Mikhail and Eddie..."

I smiled reassuringly.  
"They're fine Liss. A bit beaten up, but they'll be alright. Look, there's Eddie right over there."

Lissa's gaze followed to where I was pointing. Eddie was just stepping out of a van, helping to lay an injured Guardian on a stretcher before walking towards us.

But before her could get here, he was tackled into a hug by a petite blonde. We were close enough to hear what they were saying.

"Eddie! I can't believe you just left without telling me you were going! I was so worried, what if you hadn't come back?" She gushed.

Putting a finger to her lips, Eddie hushed her. "Of course I was going to come back."

"But how can you say that? Anything could have-"

Whatever else she was going to say was cut off as Eddie pressed his lips to hers, hands on her hips. After a moment, he pulled away slightly, resting his forehead against hers. Their hands found each other, fingers entwined.

"I had to come back for you. I had to come back to tell you that I love you, Mia."

The smile that broke over her face lit up the whole courtyard.

"I love you too Eddie, you idiot."

They kissed again, and cheers went up amongst the Guardians closest to them.

I hobbled over, pain going to the back of my mind for a minute.

"How long has this been going on?" I demanded, hands on hips.

They broke apart grudgingly. Eddie glared at me.

"About 30 seconds. So please stop interrupting and let us continue our first kiss as a couple."

I stepped back, hand held up in surrender. "Alright, Mr. Romantic. I'll leave you alone. But I can't guarantee everyone else will." I said, grinning stupidly. I had been waiting for those idiots to get together for so long. Who knew a brush with death was the push they needed?

Well, actually, that was sort of the motivation for most people in our group. Oh well.

As I hopped back to Dimitri, I finally let him wrap his arms gently around me. He was warm, despite the cold darkness that had descended as we drove back to Court.

"Hey Comrade, do we get to celebrate being alive like that?" I asked quietly, looking towards where Mia and Eddie were still wrapped up in each other's arms.

Dimitri smiled down at me. "We certainly do."

After being surrounded by the pain of battle and the darkness of death, that kiss was exactly what I needed to make it all fade away.

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**And there's the end. Aaw. For the record, I hope Eddie gets with Jill in The Fiery Heart. But until then, and for the purpose of this series, he's with Mia :3 **

**Yesterday, I watched the Russian film My Iz Budushchego (we are from the future), with Danila Kozlovsky in it. I only recognised 3 words in the entire thing- yes, no, sorry, but was still awesome. You can watch it on YouTube if you want to see Danila in action whilst waiting for Blood Sisters. Just make sure you watch the one that's over 2 hours long, because the first one I found was only 1 hour 55 and had bits cut out, which was weird :P **

**So before I ramble on any longer, I'm gonna say **_**arrivederci**_** and go finish packing :P Back in 2 weeks x**


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